Health & Wellness Archives

Health & Wellness

This helps people heal breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes and more…

How brown seaweed extract helps people heal breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes and more!

Deep down in the ocean, a far eastern part of Russia, off the Asiatic part of the Siberian continent, near the Kuril Islands between Japan and Kamchatka, sits a bed of miracle sea plant – commonly known as brown seaweed, otherwise known as Maritech Synergy(patented). They are not farmed; they are ocean grown. And they are not easy to harvest. But these rare plants are so precious. Inside the large elephant-type of leaf is lots of gooey inside (think aloe vera). When you cut it in half, you can even see some of the polysaccharide (that gooey substance inside the leaf). It’s a tedious process to extract those goodness but all effort is worth it. These extracts are then turned into paste or powder form for consumption.

So what’s the big deal?

Sure, it’s a big deal. These extract helps maintain good health and save lives. Ever wonder why the rate of breast cancer in Japan, for example, is significantly lower than in the United States? Exactly.

It also helps people who experience acid reflux and digestion problems. It regulates appetite and keeps your hair nail and skin healthy. I call it a wellness “food”.

While LHL is at the diabetic topic, I thought more people should learn that Maritech Synergy also helps lower serum, thus helping people with type 2 diabetes go off their medication in about a month or two. Type 1 will take less insulin; say one shot instead of three shots of insulin daily when they consume Maritech Synergy.

And this can be found in Mitos Activa!

If you are interested, click here to purchase.
Don’t forget to enter the promo code for discount <9517676>.

Stay healthy!

Email this page

November 25, 2017
No Comments

Beauty,Health & Wellness

What cause dead skin to build up?

Any idea what cause dead skin to build up?

We have sebaceous glands that produce naturally hydrating oils and a built-in process that constantly produces new skin cells while shedding the old. Each day, we shed nearly 40,000 skin cells!

As we catch up with age, these innate processes slow down, causing dead skin to buildup. It doesn’t help that many of us are guilty of not cleansing our skin throughly each night. Excess oil, makeup, or other products will block and prevent our body from naturally creating new cells and shedding old ones. Just picture a traffic jam on a weekday along PIE at 6.30pm. When they are too many cars on the road, things slow down and sometimes even to a halt. Same for our skin.

It might also be the types of food we eat, our level of hygiene, and even our climates. And when a buildup of dead skin stays in the pore for too long, and mixes with sebum, our pores get clogged, bacteria grows leading to breakouts.

So what do we do?

Experts say not to rub or use harsh products on our skin, especially not on acne-prone skin; because removing too much natural oil during the process will cause your skin to react and produce more, which can cause more breakouts as the follicles become blocked all over again.

Sure, you should use gentle oil-free cleanser with exfoliating properties which will remove dead skin, but more than working on just the exterior, work on your body inside out. I supplement with Mitos Activa. Just one capsule each morning on an empty stomach.

Precious Ingredients in Mitos Activa

You will find lots of “treasure” in Mitos Activa, such as, Maritech Synergy, Trans-Resveratrol, Dermaval, Rose Placenta, Cordyceps Prime, Aloe Vera Powder, Mangosteen Extract and Pomegranate.

I’m sure that your next question is “what do they do”?

Click here to read more.

Personal Experience

I’ve been taking Mitos Activa for more than a year and it has “rebooted” my health, reduced scaring on my nose bridge, helped with hair growth after pregnancy, shrank my big pores and reduced dead skin accumulation.

On my recent appointment with Kadence, a very established Elusyf consultant, I saw my “skin health reports” and smiled with contentment. There was tremendous improvement in my skin conditions.

The imaged on the top left was taken in March 2016 and the image on bottom right was taken just about and around a week ago. The accumulation of dead skin one year ago was horrendous. My dead skin was getting out of hand! And because I had sensitive skin, using harsh exfoliating products will cause my skin to react. I needed something that works from within, not just externally. I want to maintain a happy, healthy, glowing, smooth skin and my solution was Elusyf Mitos Activa.

It wasn’t just dead skin issues I had back then. I hated my enlarged pores. It was something that bothered me since my teenage days. My mum brought me to many demonologists but none could fix my problems but Elusyf did. It came late but better than never. I was 30 when I first started on Elysyf Wellness Programme. I’m so thankful to have come across this product and I hope others will benefit from it too.

Just look at how the density of my pores shrank. From these images you can also see the crisscross lines forming (collagen). Collagen is a structural support protein that is essential for firm, youthful skin.

As the synthesis of new collagen slows down, Mitos Activa helps boost collagen synthesis and slow its degradation. And to top it off, I also use Elusyf Phytomask which helps increase collagen synthesis, aids in cell regeneration, reduces fine lines, smoothen skin, lighten dark spots, nourishes, hydrates and repairs skin.

I’ve been consuming Elusyf Mitos Activa and Phytomask for over a year and will continue to use them simply because it WORKS! Elusyf Wellness Programme is premium, exclusive, yet it doesn’t break the bank. As cliche as it may sound, I still got to say it – prevention is better than cure.

If you are interested, click here to purchase.
Don’t forget to enter the promo code for discount <9517676>.

Health is wealth.

Email this page

September 14, 2017
No Comments

Arnold,Educational,Family,Health & Wellness,Play,Sonia

PJ Mask at the Park

PJ MASK AT THE PARK

PJ Mask isn’t fiction, it’s real (as if)! I’ve just seen Owlette and Catboy at the park early this morning discussing their next BIG plan. Their real identities are covered for safety reasons. Some times, they are dressed in civilian attire to hide under the radar.

This morning, they travelled on their scooter to the park.

OWLETTE AND CATBOY’S ADVENTURE AT THE PLAYGROUND

Playing pretend with his big sister! So now Arnold is steering the ship! Ahoy!

And Sonia is checking out if there are any pirates out there! Keep safe, stay safe.

Sonia loves the swing as much as I do!

Just watching this pair of siblings interacts make anyone smile.

Grandma on nanny duty!

BENEFITS OF PLAY PRETEND

All kids play pretend. Sonia and Arnold do that a lot! At the nearby playground, they pretended they were in a ship. On the swing, they pretended they were flying. On the rock wall, they pretended they were Spiderman, etc. They called the leaves “treasures” and stones “diamonds”.

I like it when they experience walking in someone’s shoes. It helps build on their social and emotional skills, and also their self-esteem! Playing pretend calls upon important cognitive thinking skills that they will use in every aspect of their life. And by playing with them allows me a chance to positively enhance their learning experiences and strengthen my relationship with them. Bonding. Especially for Arnold, play pretend helps with language development. I find opportunities to extend on language skills by paraphrasing what he said using more descriptive language and exchanging conversations using expressive language examples. Do not underestimate your child’s ability to learn.

Above all, play pretend is fun and enjoyable.

LEARNING ON THE MOVE

I always find any opportunity to teach my kids new things along the way. There are always some kind of learning materials in my bag and today I took out some new Chinese characters we had just learned not too long ago. It was revision on the move!

This way, it makes learning less stressful and more fun!

After all the fun, it was time for breakfast. We ran to the nearest hut and “chop” the seats. And from my multi-purposes bag, I took out a microscope. They like all kind of “scope” – telescope, microscope, stethoscope…

Sonia tried using opaque objects (e.g. leaf) and it didn’t work. She later tried water and saw how the molecules looked like.

Arnold is giving it a go too!

After a while, I realised they enjoyed playing with the dropper more than the microscope.

So more water for the Owlette!

WORKING OUT THE LITTLE MUSCLES

Arnold offered grandma a shield and she made good use of the shield to shield the sun.

It was a beautiful day and all of us had loads of fun at the park! What not to like?!?

Email this page

July 26, 2017
No Comments

Arnold,Family,Health & Wellness,Parenthood,Play,Sonia

Take it outside

TAKE IT OUTSIDE

Her eyes barely opened, still stretching herself in bed, half yawning while asking “Mummy, are we going to school today?”. I threw my arm over her and gave her a tight hug, then told her “no, sweetheart; it’s Sunday”.

“So can we go to the park?”

“Sure!”

And then, suddenly, I saw ‘energy’ in her eyes.

“Arnold, WAKE UP NOW! It’s MORNING! Faster brush your teeth. Mummy said we can go to the park. Are you listening? I say WAKE. UP. NOW.” and she went on as she stomped her way to his bed. #thingskidsdo

It was so early on a Sunday morning, but all of us were awake! We weren’t going to waste our time lazing on bed. Weather was awesome and we had to get out! We did.

Let’s take it outside!

Outdoor play is so important! It’s the best place for toddlers to practice and master emerging physical skills.

It is outdoor that children can fully and freely experience motor skills like running, leaping, hopping and jumping!

And it is outdoors that children are likely to burn more calories, thus preventing obesity and other kind of diseases.

Work it out, kids!

Outdoor play is also awesome for bonding! We were playing at the swing when a random stranger asked if we would like her to help take some pictures of us! I thought, why not? So she took my camera from the ground and started snapping some photos of us. This is my favourite! I haven’t smiled like this in a long time. I thought I lost my happiness and there it was, happiness. My children brought me happiness, lots of happiness, a different kind of happiness. I’m so thankful and grateful. A stranger showed me what happiness is. Thank you, stranger.

BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR PLAY

Vision
Ditch the tablets and go outdoor! A study reported by Optometry and Vision Science found that children who spend time outside have better distance vision than those who primarily play indoor.
Health
With more room to play, children are often more active outdoor, which helps them build strong bones and good fitness levels. It also helps burn off extra energy and calories. Besides, being in the sunshine allows children, and even yourself, to naturally absorb vital vitamin D, a lack of which can lead to Rickets.
Explore
Encourage children to play with slides, swings, see-saw or anything that may seem challenging to them. Teach them to push their boundaries and become good at risk assessment. It may involve children getting dirty, wet, or falling over, these experiences help to build their confidence and is an important part of learning about skills and limitations. Everyday life involves a certain degree of risk and children need to learn how to cope with this from an early age.
Social Skills
Taking it outside, having unstructured play promotes a wide range of skills. It is less crowded and less intimidating; those helps children to naturally come out of their shells and be more social. This means that children will be more willing to join in activities, to play in groups, learn to share, learn to negotiate and learn how to resolve conflicts. They will also be more likely to talk to different children and make new friends. These all encourages children to learn social skills and how to interact with other children. It promotes self-confidence, resiliency and self-advocacy, all of which can help children learn how to develop healthy relationships and to become leaders.
Reduce Stress
Who says only adults have stress? Kids have stress too! Spending time outside playing is such a huge outlet for stress. It’s relaxing and some say that seeing green spaces can help decrease kids’ stress levels. Besides, it is good for their mental health.

LEARNING OUTDOOR

After exhausting their energy, we went to a nearby hut to have our breakfast. They had their favourite super awesome pumpkin porridge with cod fish, spinach and carrot. Even I love it too! After that, we did colouring, pictures after pictures…

Arnold got bored very quickly so he took out his portable microphone and started singing. Sometimes he pretends to be a DJ “Good morning everyone, my name is Arnold Ong”. Now the entire neighbourhood knows his name.

Soaking in nature is lots of fun too!

Now Sonia and Arnold know what a bark is. Bark shading can be fun too!

Sonia thought the bark was too rough. She wanted to shade on a smooth bark and so we went from tree to tree to shade.

But none was smooth enough. Finally she found one…

…a lamp post… That’s NOT a tree! Haha… We all had a good laugh, but shaded against the lamp post anyway.

So did Arnold. It was a day well spent.

Email this page

July 20, 2017
No Comments

Beauty,Health & Wellness,Lifestyle

Remedy for the busy mums and dads and ah gongs and ah mahs

REMEDY FOR THE BUSY MUMS AND DADS AND AH GONGS AND AH MAHS

I’m not going to tell you that you will get flawless skin in 5 days, or a flat stomach in 2. Your aches in the bones won’t go away overnight, neither will your scars. Looking good and being healthy takes time, effort, and discipline. And of course some common sense, many people lack. It astounds me that people believe in quick fix many brands promised yet never delivers, because deep within, we all know, there are no magic or miracles. Unfortunately, these take time and that’s how our body works!

If you are looking for a quick fix, you can stop reading now. But if you are looking for a sustainable healthy lifestyle, please read on. I have good things to share!

My secret to good health and great complexion is to look after my body inside out. ‘Inside” I consume Elusyf Cell Activa SP800 supplements; and ‘Outside’ I use Elusyf Activa Phytomask. I know, there are thousands of other supplements out there, all screaming for your attention. Some works, some doesn’t. I’ve tried many myself and finally found one that worked for me and my family too!

I started using Elusyf Activa Phytomask before I learned the existence of Elusyf Cell Activa SP800 supplements. And when I started on my Elusyf Wellness Program, the rest was history. Life gets better each day!

ELUSYF ACTIVA PHYTOMASK

I’m have masks, lots of them. Paper mask, gel mask, cream mask, clay mask, scrub mask, thermal mask, natural mask, peel-off mask, and the list goes on. I tried masks from Singapore, Korea, Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Dubai, and USA! I would call myself a Mask Expert!

In the past, I used to think nothing of paper mask. To me, they were mere convenient packs, something like fast food, easy to use, fills your stomach but may not give you the optimum results. Boy, I WAS WRONG! I just haven’t found the right one!

The Chinese says 一分钱，一分货。It simply means “you get what you pay for”! Elusyf Activa Phytomask is slightly dearer than those Korean sheet masks I buy off the shelves but the effect is “WOW”!

There is this thin cotton sheet doused in lots and lots of goodness! There are plant placenta, yeast extract, bird’s nest extract, hyaluronic acid, pearl powder and Arbutin. Goodness overloaded!

All of these goodness aids in cell regeneration, increase collagen synthesis, reduce fine lines and smoothen my skin. It also helps to lighten dark spots, improves dilated pores and is rich in antioxidant. What I like best is how it hydrates and plump up my skin! Elusyf is very generous with their ‘minerals’! I always keep and save it for later! I use the remaining ‘goodness’ on my face, neck, arms and legs!

1 box of Elusyf phytomask is going for SGD 55.
2 boxes of Elusyf phytomask are going for SGS 99.
And more discounts when you enter the promo code <9517676>.

ELUSYF WELLNESS PROGRAMME

Being a woman is not easy. Being a mother is double the toughness! Imagine having to look after two toddlers who constantly require lots of attention; who occasionally decide to thrown a tantrum or even worse, an explosive meltdown; who wake up in the middle of the night and want your company; who mess up the house as you try your very best to tidy it up; who flip over that very nutritional bowl of porridge you painstaking cooked for hours; who tear the drafts you meant to submit the very next morning. How not to age? These are emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausting!

So where do I find the energy to work, nurture my children, design and create learning activity sheets for them, and still be their playmate? I attribute that to a healthy lifestyle. Here’s my Daily Health Checklist –>

The first thing I do every morning is to drink a glass of water with Elusyf Cell Activa SP800 supplement. I place my box of supplements next to my toothbrush so I will never forget eating them!

I’ve been consuming Elusyf Cell Activa SP800 supplements for more than half a year, and the result – awesome. You know how looking after toddlers takes up so much energy, so much so, at the end of the day, I’m flat, totally drained. And more than often, I don’t get to sleep through the night! While my daughter is much more independent now, my son is only three. Plus, we are in the midst of toilet training him, thus we are always running to the toilet, if not, cleaning and washing soiled clothes and bedsheets. I need to keep my energy level up all day, and night!

After consuming Elusyf Cell Activa SP 800 supplements for about about two to three months, I started to see improvement with my health. I felt more energised, less lethargic, and I could focus and concentrate better. The scar between my eyes (on my nose bridge) significantly lightened. I also realised that my wound healed faster than before. It helps facilitate the regeneration of cells, tissues and organs, and boosts my body’s metabolism! Even better, my pores shrunk and my complexion got so much better! I’ll let the results do the talking!

I’m hitting the bulleye soon! The one on wrinkles improved so much (from the outer circle all the way to the inner circle). For the wrinkle category, the skin consultant focused on my scar (because she said I have no crow feet, thankfully). And if you are wondering why my skin was so oily? The last time she checked on me, I hit the bulleye but that day, I was rushing all morning, sending my kids to school, taking my helpers to the embassy, and running some errands; thus explains my oily skin. Anyway, take a look at the below images –>

It is evident from the pictures above, you can barely see my scar anymore! Elusyf Cell Activa SP800 not only reduce the appearance of my scar, it improves my skin condition and slows down the natural aging process.

The images below show improvement in collagen synthesis and tightness of my skin. The many crisscrosses you see suggest that I have more collagen under the surface my skin. These don’t happen overnight. I’ve been maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking Elusyf Cell Activa SP800 for months. Now my skin now feel more supple and radiant!

If you must know what’s in the pill, there are ovine placenta extract, olive oil, shark liver oil, avocado oil, aloe vera gel extract, fish collagen powder, and xanthone! You can find a very comprehensive list of ingredient here!

Of course, you don’t expect Elusyf Cell Activa SP800 supplements to bring you all of these in a day. You need to allow your body to recover and rejuvenate. Again, these take time! And while you are at this, you need to also lead a healthy lifestyle (see my Daily Health Checklist)! This way, you can optimise the stem cell therapy!

If you haven’t tried Elusyf Cell Activa SP800 supplements before, I propose you try their Revitalisation Programme.

They are not the usual $100 supplements you see at our local drugstores; they are way better. Well, 一分钱，一分货, you will see results in your health in time to come. As I passed my big 30, I realised how much good health meant to me! All the wealth cannot bring you health, so take good care of your health today. I’m almost certain you will come back for more like I did.

If you are interested, click here to purchase.
Don’t forget to enter the promo code for discount <9517676>.

I wish you good health!

Cheers,
Winnie D. Chew

Email this page

March 01, 2017
No Comments

Arnold,Family,Health & Wellness,Play,Sonia

Spending quality time with your family is important

SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY IS IMPORTANT

I am a happily married woman and a mother of two children, and many readers ask me how do I maintain a happy marriage and a good relationship with my kids. Honestly, there is no secret – that is to spend quality time with my family on a regular basis. That might sound obvious, but it is a problem for many families.

I know, most of us are caught up in a hectic whirlwind of activities which start on Monday morning, end on Sunday night, and then, repeat. You cannot live without checking your email on your mobile phone even if you aren’t at work. You are constantly solving problems, answering endless phone calls and exchanging text messages with your boss, while your kids sit before the big television watching Angry Bird. You are often angry and frustrated because you felt torn and guilty for not spending enough time with your family, yet doing nothing to bring the family together. Yes, yes, yes, all of those are important, but so are your family, your kids, your spouse! It doesn’t take a genius to realise that but it takes a lot of effort to build strong bonds with your family.

Spending quality time with your family is important – it helps our children to feel more confident and secure, builds stronger family bonds and is good for our own emotional health.

10 TIPS TO FREE UP TIME WHEN YOU ARE OVERWORKED

Figure out what’s essential and prioritise
Make dates with your family, put it on the schedule, and make it the most sacred
Get the important stuff done early so you don’t have to work late
Realise you won’t get everything done
Cut back on meetings
Watch less TV
Limit your time online
Start work early
Learn to say no
Stop checking email after working hours (whenever possible, I know it’s tough, we’ve all been there)

Ultimately, remember your priorities. Remember what’s important to you, who’s important to you. You worked so hard for your family. It would be ironic if you lose your family because you worked too hard and neglected them all. Find the balance.

CONNECT WITH YOUR FAMILY

Connecting with your spouse, children and parents are very important. And to connect, we need to create time to talk and listen to each other. There are ways to maximise family time! And it really helps when our folks lead by example because we subconsciously follow their footsteps! I’m fortunate to come from a loving family and more fortunate to marry a man whose family treasures time spent together! Strong family values are important! If you find it really hard to squeeze time for your family, here are some small but good ways to start connecting with your family.

HAVE DINNER TOGETHER

Make it a point to leave work on time so you can make it home in time to sit down to dine with your family. We always make it a point to have dinner together as a family, and here I’m talking not just with hub and our children, but also with my parents-in-law and grandma! I’m not sure about you, but I grew up having dinner daily, or at least on weekdays, with my entire extended family. And I love the cohesiveness! I guess, the kind of togetherness we had in old days had rubbed onto me, thus I don’t have issues living with a big family. If you must know, we are a family of four generations, living under the same roof!

FIX THINGS TOGETHER

Children love to help fix things. To us, it may seem like a mundane task, but to most kids, it’s a new experience and they look forward to learn and help! Even changing batteries for a toy is fun to them!

HAVE TEA TOGETHER

We are Toast Box loyal members! We have tea and coffee there so many times a week, they should make us their ambassador! Sonia and Arnold are not left out in our usual family tea sessions! They drink milo while we savour our beverages and talk about almost anything under the sun. Yes, the kids join in our conversation too, whenever they can or cannot! Haha… And times when we are not at Toast Box, we head to East Coast or Bedok 216 market for a cuppa coffee and local delights!

READ TOGETHER

Every night, hub and I make it a point to read to the kids. First, it’s a good habit. Second, it’s a great way to spend time together. Sonia and Arnold will choose the books they would like us to read to them, and through reading, we share ideas and values with our kids!

BRING YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL OR CLASS

Make it a point to personally bring your children to school or class as much as possible. It allows you to spend more time together. Make travel time, together time! I always remembered how my dad always sent me to and from school, and to any tuition centres daily. Don’t underestimate travel time however short. I had the best conversation with my dad in the car and he learned about my school life while chatting with me over the fifteen-minute car ride.

BAKE TOGETHER

I’m not sure if baking is your kind of thing, but it is my kind of thing! And I try to rope in my kids! Well, this is tough but I try to let them help as much as possible! Sometimes they make me feel like pulling my hair out but the sense of accomplishment of baking a cake as a family is very satisfying. Awesome opportunity to bond! Whether the cake turned out nice or not, is secondary. There’s so much love in it already! And if you would like the recipe to my soft and fluffy, slightly charred on the outside and moist on the inside, kind of pandan cake, click here. Have fun with your kids!

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Pick up a new activity together. Learning something new can open up new ways of communicating and bring interest and life back into your conversation with your family. Recently, my MIL and I took up pilates again and we totally enjoyed it! I tried teaching Sonia some moves but she was not the least interested. LOL! And my kids and I took up photography! We just learned off the Internet. For now, it would be an achievement for them to just be able to capture us in the picture!

CELEBRATE ALL FESTIVE TOGETHER

Besides CNY, and Christmas, keep track of important events such as family birthdays, job changes, graduation, anniversaries, births, etc. Recognise these important events and make time to celebrate with your family. Remember milestone events is often appreciated and remembered.

HAVE BREAKFAST TOGETHER

Try to work around your schedule. For me, I have breakfast with the entire family every weekend. And on weekdays, I try to have breakfast with hub as much as possible. Bonding between spouse is as important as bonding with the kids. And once or twice a week, I have breakfast with my MIL. Yes, I know many have heaps of issues with their MIL and having breakfast with them is beyond them but I happened to have a very kind, thoughtful, and considerate MIL. You might be interested in reading about my relationship with my MIL here.

CREATE A GROUP CHAT

It’s nice to keep your family updated about your life despite the distance. I create group chats for both hub’s and my family. With our brothers all around Australia, it’s an awesome platform to share our day-to-day life with each other! Keeping in touch and knowing how everyone is doing becomes a lot easier when everyone is on the same conversational page. When you make it easier to know what is happening in each other’s lives, you make it easier to appreciate and understand each other. And when we meet during their summer breaks, we don’t feel like strangers.

TRAVEL AS A FAMILY

Travelling is good for the family. If you have some spare cash to spend, invest in a vacation for the entire family. It need not be somewhere far aways. There are lots to explore in neighbouring countries too. The key here to to break away from daily routine so you can get relief from the continuous stress and make time for the family. Beside bonding the family, traveling allows you to learn experiences, create memories, and connect with each other.

PLAN WEEKLY ACTIVITIES

It doesn’t need to be an elaborated excursion. Just doing things together as a family works! It could be painting, swimming, dancing, crafting, cycling, taking photo, or what not! As I’m typing this, hub brought the kids down for a dip. Don’t judge, I was under the weather, thus I gave it a missed! What I’m trying to say is that, doing activities as a family isn’t difficult. We all just need to find time and be committed to spend time with the family. Impossible is nothing.

Email this page

June 20, 2016
No Comments

Arnold,Family,Health & Wellness,Sonia

Staycation In Singapore, Family Stays For Free

DAY ONE

HELLO, SHANGRI-LA SINGAPORE

The last time we traveled was some time in July, last year. It was winter in Adelaide then, and the kids had so much fun! You can read more about our trip here, here, here, here, and here. That was the last “break” we had and I really needed another getaway soon!

Wishes do come true! Soon after, an invitation from Shangri-La came!

CHECK-IN

As soon as we set foot at the 5-star hotel, we were greeted by their cordial staff. They invited us to the Horizon Club to proceed check-in formalities while having tea. And I thought that was very considerate of them. The kids were famished after school! Some sandwiches and fruits were very much appreciated!

The whole staycation thingy wasn’t just all play! The kids learnt so much from this two-day-one-night-stay. Not necessarily academic wise, but still, something (morales, manners, table manners, gk, life, etc). Learning can take place anywhere, not just in school.

Daddy was helping the kids with the food and took the opportunity to teach them about vegetables and colours! I was actually very much impressed that he took such initiative and was secretly pleased. So now my two-year-old knows what is a cucumber (green), carrot (orange), and cranberry (red). Awesome!

Sonia, turing four, is more independent. So, we can pretty much leave her to choose her food on her own and eat them by herself. Her favourite was watermelon (you don’t see that on her plate because she had already savoured every bit of it), and mine’s the blackberries!

My two-year-old however needed some help with cutting the fruits. Daddy was on baby sitting duties while I was in-charge of capturing memories so they can one day look back and walk down the memory lane.

Yup, my parents-in-law came too! I thought it would be fun to have three generations doing a staycation together. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a room available that was big enough to house all of us. But that was fine. We could still have fun together before they head home, and we could meet them the following day!

Our staycation has just begun and I have a good feeling about it! Everyone, especially Sonia and Arnold were immensely happy!

Once Arnold filled his stomach, he got impatient and couldn’t wait to check-in! I know, it’s only a one-night-stay, why bring a luggage? Well, if you have kids, you will know what’s in that box. I had to pack extra clothes just in case they spill the entire glass of juice on their shirt, many canisters of milk powder (they are heavy drinkers), milk bottles, swimsuits, baby shower, baby powder, diapers, baby snacks and what not! But let me tell you, the hassle was worth it, because we all enjoyed our staycation so so much!

TOWER WING’S HORIZON GRAND PREMIER ROOM

This is one of the largest club level rooms in the city at 72 square metres. Bright and spacious, clean and neat. Very welcoming! The room had a wide variety of amenities to keep us busy – from a bunch of magazines to a flat-screen TV that came with dozens of channels, including kids channels! Most importantly, there was free wi-fi. These days, we really couldn’t do without that, no?

The first thing my kids did upon entering the room was to the divide the bowl of fresh fruits. I was like “Seriously? Your mummy couldn’t wait to jump onto the king-sized bed lined with pure Egyptian cotton bed linen and take a slumber!”

It didn’t take them long to realise the complimentary welcome amenities for them lying on the roll-away bed.

“Mummy, these are for children! Not for you, okay? You cannot wear, you see, your feet are too big you know!” said Sonia.
LOL! Things kids say can sometimes tickle.

So they spent the next ten minutes raving about their “presents”.

Just then, the doorbell rang! Tommy Tang, the Housekeeping Manager came to introduce himself and delivered this.

Can you make a quick guess, what’s in the basket?

It was a little heavy and I thought it might contain some fruits but hadn’t we already had a bowl of fruits in the room?

To my delight, it was a pot of piping hot tea! Good for digestion, no?

Somewhere on the counter was also a box of sweet treats! This one, I SUPER LIKE!

Everyone knows, I love C.H.O.C.O.L.A.T.E, good C.H.O.C.O.L.A.T.E.

Sonia and Arnold got bored after a while and came asking for chocolates. That was too much sugar for kids to handle, so I distracted them and exclaimed “hey, look what’s in the toilet”!

Wrong move, because now, they refused to leave the toilet.

That was a sizeable bathroom! And of course, the kids’ favourite was the bath tub. Mine too! And to top that off, the shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and even hand soap were from L’Occitane! Totally love the fragrance!

These are all new to the kids. Previously when we were on vacation, we stayed in rented apartments and houses. They were nothing like this! “This” is something refreshing to them! So before we head out for dinner, we spent some time in the room fooling about. It’s also the first time, the kids refused the idea of going shopping. They always jump at any opportunity to go out and now, they requested to stay in? Uh?

Here are more pictures of us in the 72 square metres room:-

“Halo, my mummy says she wants to eat french fries and ice cream. Yakult, also. Hmm… and maybe some carrot biscuits. What time can you come?”

That coming from my girl, wow!

I really liked the room! There weren’t any sharp edges. All tables, chairs and cabinets have rounded corners. These might not bother many people, but they’re something mummies with young children look out for.

Anyway, we had negotiated. After finishing their milk, we WILL head to the malls. Period.

GETTING AROUND

If you drive like we do, you will be happy to learn that the hotel provides complimentary parking throughout your stay! If not, traveling about the city is still possible (and free) on their complimentary shuttle buses. It takes you to the Central Business District (CBD), selected Industrial parks and the main shopping and entertainment belt of Orchard Road.

Shangri-La, nested away from the city, allows you to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind you, yet you are never too far away from Orchard Road, where all the big, luxurious and established shopping malls are.

If you must know, we drove to Takashimaya because hub had craving for Mr. Obanyaki Pancake (red bean fish taiyaki), and I had craving for Ambush’s Codfish Pasta in Thai Basil Sauce! The kids are happy as long as we take them to the supermarket to get their snacks!

TIME TO HIT THE SACK

By the time we were back at the hotel, the kids got all excited because they could take a shower in the tub! For the first time, we took a really LONG shower. The kids were in the tub enjoying their warm bath while daddy headed off to the gym. We heard that The Health Club at Shangri-La Hotel was huge, even celebrities patronise the centre! How not to check it out?

So while hub checked out the gym, I bathed the kids and accompanied them to watch cartoons! They don’t always get to watch TV at home, so they were over the moon when I said “Children, TV time!” I’m surprised that they had Disney channels. Thumbs up! That kept them occupied for 30 minutes before I called it a day. Time to hit the sack!

The kids were too tired, they fell asleep really soon. So when hub was back, we had some “we” time, snacking on the chips we bought earlier at the supermarket, and talking about everything under the moon. I haven’t felt this relax in a long time!

What an awesome day! I’m already looking forward to my next staycation!

DAY TWO

RISE AND SHINE

Good morning, folks! The kids got up early, washed up, brushed their teeth and snuggle back in bed with a bottle of milk. Just then, my parents-in-law arrived! Good timing! Now hub and I could wash up and get dress while they help to babysit my gems. How fortunate I am, I know, right!

By the time all of us were ready, I was hungry. We’ve been to THE LINE on a few other occasions but we were always there for lunches or dinners. This is our first time there for breakfast and I’m totally looking forward to a hearty one!

COMPLIMENTARY BUFFET BREAKFAST @ THE LINE

The first station I was drawn to, was the fruit station! Unlike other breakfast buffets we had been to, THE LINE had an array of tropical fruits! Besides the common apples, oranges and watermelons, they had wax apples, dragon fruit, jackfruits, pineapples, anjou pears, etc. What a feast!

What’s better than best is their service. Sonia wanted to eat an apple but they came in a whole (not sliced). One of Shangri-La’s staff overheard our conversation and said “Sure, just a moment!” Within seconds, she served us a plate of sliced apples. That was very thoughtful and considerate!

Back at our table, I tried teaching Sonia fraction using her piece of watermelon. Don’t judge me! I’m not expecting her to know “1/4 + 3/4 = 1 whole” or anything along this line. I only want her to understand the concept of fraction and what it means. For the least, she knows a fraction represents a part of the whole. And that watermelon doesn’t grow on a tree. Everyday, she learns something new, and that’s enough for me.

After hub and Sonia were settled down, it was my turn to indulge. The Line is well reputed for having the longest buffet line in the city state with its elongated 16 theater kitchens. If you would like to have bread for breakfast, they have at least ten different types of bread for your pick. If you would like to have some sweet treats, they have no less than a dozen variety.

And if you would like to have some donuts, there were six different flavours to choose from. We were really spoilt for choices!

I liked not only the food at The Line, but also the people who worked in there. I was exceptionally impressed with Eskay, the chef who prepared prawn noodles.

Eskay was friendly, brilliant, humorous, attentive, and most importantly, has a knack of making his guests feel comfortable. One Westerner queuing just before me hadn’t ate anything like this before and he asked what he might recommend (for example, bee hoon, egg noodles, yellow noodles or kway teow). The first thing he asked was “Sir, where are you from?”, and a few other questions before customising a bowl of noodle for him. That’s what I’m saying – personalised service! Thumbs up for that!

After too much good food, we ended our breakfast with a nice cuppa Teh Tarik!

HEALTH CLUB

Two hours after breakfast, hub headed to the gym, again. There was a really good range of equipment but that resulted in a crowded gym. You just have to go during the non-peak period! Early morning before breakfast time is usually crowded but after that, the gym is quite peaceful.

Hub liked the gym equipments and I liked their changing rooms!

The male and female changing rooms each offer a sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and relaxation areas for all guests and members. Super awesome, right! I could stay in there for hours, but nope, I have to take a quick shower and look after my kids (it wasn’t right to exploit my parents-in-law, they came early to help look after my kids and I should be grateful that I even got to utilise the gym).

SWIMMING POOL

The pool was surrounded with lush greenery and lots of beautiful orchids. It reminded me of my first Christmas with hub because that was exactly what he gave me for Christmas – a bouquet of orchids.

So pretty!!!

And guess who we saw?

A friend by the pool! So CUTE!

That’s no wonder we saw this signage ->

The kids love the little fountain area so much, we spent the whole time there “catching water”!

Just listening to their laughter was better than Canon in D. So therapeutic! It takes away all stress and troubles!

Neither Sonia nor Arnold wanted to leave the pool but we had to because it was about to rain! Thankfully we went for a swim in the morning!

Of course, they cried when we “dragged” them out of the pool but soon beamed with delight when we “threw” them in a warm tub of water!

And remember what I said about learning on the go? We took two bottles and I taught them about buoyancy!

Again, don’t be too quick to judge. I’m not some kiasu mum, trying to teach my two and four-year-old “density = mass / volume”.

I simply have them fill up the bottle with water and see if it sank or floated! And then got them to empty the bottle and see if it sank or floated! That’s as far as Science is to preschoolers. Well, they had fun, and that was all that mattered! Yeah!

GARDEN WING ATRIUM

Before we check-out, we chanced upon this small but beautiful garden, by chance! The kids had so much fun playing “catching” there! But please, do not allow your tots to wander about on their own. You don’t want them falling into the pond.

Of course, Arnold never wins. Sonia is quite a fast runner!

But you see, it was a friendly match! So we taught them what good sportsmanship is and got them to take a photo together anyway. Jiejie gave Arnold a big bear hug and a kiss on his cheeks. Awww…

And so, our two-day-one-day staycation had come to an end. If I were to use only one word to describe Shangri-La, it had to be “luxury”. Everything, from the rooms to the food, services, and facilities, were delivered in a grand fashion. There’s a reason why U.S.A. president, Obama Barack decided to stay at Shangri-La amidst other reputable hotels. This place is worth checking out!

FAMILY STAYS FOR FREE PACKAGE

Shangri-La Hotel Singapore is currently offering the “Family Stays For Free” package at the “Horizon Grand Premier Room” priced at SGD 505++ per night for bookings made before 31 March 2016 and stays on Fridays and Saturdays only.

Privileges include:

Complimentary breakfast for the family at The Line
Late check-out at 6pm
Complimentary extra bed upon request
Complimentary welcome amenities for children under the age of 12
Access to outdoor swimming pool and round-the-clock Health Club facilities
Complimentary Wi-Fi and broadband Internet access
Complimentary hourly guest shuttle bus to Orchard Road precinct
Complimentary parking

*Terms and conditions applied.

Book now.

Email this page

February 22, 2016
1 Comment

Baking,Health & Wellness,Printables

Light, Soft and Moist Yuzu Chiffon Cake

I’m not a big fan of cakes but I’m a HUGE fan of Chiffon Cakes! They’re as light as feather, as soft as cotton. Moist on the inside and a tad bit charred on the outside; just the way I like it. And, most of all definitely healthier than traditional butter cakes.

If you must know, chiffon cake was invented in 1927 by Harry Baker, a California insurance salesman turned caterer. He kept the recipe secret for 20 years until he sold it to General Mills, which spread the recipe through marketing materials in the 1940s and 1950s. (Yes, I went to Google that because curiosity got the better of me.)

Thankfully, he sold his recipe, else we wouldn’t even be talking about Chiffon Cakes today!

While there are many different variations of chiffon cakes, my favourite is still the Pandan Cake BUT I like Yuzu too! Lately, I’ve been drinking too much Yuzu drink. And what hub said got me thinking about the possibility of making a Yuzu Chiffon Cake!

As I was making yet another cup of Yuzu drink for myself one evening, he laughed and said “Yuzu AGAIN? Seriously? The amount of Yuzu you’ve been drinking could fill a bathtub! Why not take a Yuzu bath while sipping on your pipping hot Yuzu drink with a slice of Yuzu cake?”

“Why not?” I said. “Honey, you have no idea what goodness Yuzu fruit contains…” and so I went on. I didn’t went on and on just to annoy him, lah! There are some really awesome health benefits of this magical fruit!

HEALTH BENEFITS OF YUZU FRUIT

Good source of antioxidants – Help replenish dead skin cells.
Great source of vitamin C (3 times more than that of lemon)
Contains vitamin P – Helps absorb vitamin C and promote healthy blood flow.
Contains collagen – Helps to rejuvenates maturing skin (like mine), activates cell and has fat burning effects.
Contains Nomilin (Yuzu skin essential oil component) – Aids in relaxation.
Yuzu is not only for eating, we can use them for a hot bath too! It is believed to ward off winter colds and flu, and healing of chapped skin.

YUZU CHIFFON CAKE RECIPE

So I started goggling for a recipe and found something from Everybody Eats Well In Flanders website. Her cake looked divine and I had to bake it!!!

Here’s how you go about baking one…

First, you will need a good bottle of Yuzu marmalade. You can easily get this from Korean or Japanese marts, or local supermarkets too!

Stir Yuzu Tea together with very little hot water, then remove the reside using a strainer. Make sure you have a total of 90ml of Yuzu Tea mixture. Set aside.

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
Beat egg yolks with sugar until light and fluffy.
Add oil into mixture and continue beating.
Add Yuzu mixture and vanilla extract and mix well.
Add dry ingredient (flour, baking powder, and salt), mix until just combined.
Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy.
Add cream of tar tar and whisk.
Add sugar and whisk until stiff peak stage.

Mix 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk batter using a spatula.
Gently fold the remaining meringue into the batter until well mixed. Be carefully not to over mix the batter.
Transfer batter into a 23cm tube pan.
Bake at 160°C for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the stick comes out cleans.

Invert and cool completely before you remove the cake from the cake pan.

There you go… The perfectly charred on the outside, light, soft and moist on the inside kind of YUZU CHIFFON CAKE! Beautiful!

Perfect dessert for almost any occasion. Now that CNY is coming, I’m planning to bake some of these yummy Yuzu Chiffon Cake for my guests! They go well with a nice hot cuppa tea!

Besides baking a tasty light, soft and moist cake, presentation is also very important. Serving desserts on plates and bowls are way too common. To make my PERFECT Yuzu Chiffon Cake stand out, I’ll serve them on a woody chopping board and my guests will use woody utensils. I’m still looking out for some woody mugs for tea (that’s in the pipeline)!

In less than 10 minutes, this is all that’s left (no pun intended). I don’t tell tales. Go bake it yourself and you’ll know why they get snapped off so quickly!

Click on above image for printable recipe.

Email this page

February 01, 2016
No Comments

Arnold,Baking,Beauty,Educational,Family,Fashion,Health & Wellness,Parenthood,Play,Recipe,Self,Sonia,Travel

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

2015 had been an awesome year for WESA. Along the way, we learned so much. Parenting two toddlers was fun and enriching! We’re truly thankful for all that we have and all that we can give. It was an exciting ride and now, we look forward to the next roller coaster ride ahead of us. Bring it on, 2016! And to everyone out there, have a happy new year!

Click on below image to read blog post.

Email this page

January 01, 2016
No Comments

Arnold,Family,Health & Wellness,Play,Sonia

Take it outside, play outdoor today

Sussie is watching her favourite Peppa Pig program on the television. Susan sits focused on her computer screen. Suzanne is enthusiastically playing games on her mobile phone. What do these common sights have in common? They are all taking place indoors. This has become more typical in the lives of Singapore children. And this disturbing trend is unhealthy. Tons of researches have shown that children who play outdoors regularly are happier, healthier and stronger; yet few are taking it outside. WHY?

There are many reasons but among all, the most common reason is – lack of time. Parents these days work day in and day out. You can practically work anywhere with a smart phone; and so most parents have little time to supervise outdoor play or take their children out to a playground.

Try to take an hour or two off from work over the weekends. Keep your smart phone in your drawer and entertain the never ending emails later. Take your children out to play, and you will realise the importance of outdoor play and how they contribute to learning.

BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR PLAY

There are many reasons why kids should play outside. Sure, playing outdoor is fun (and some times tiring for the adults), but it brings many health benefits, both physical and mental health benefits.

Children becomes fitter and leaner

Outdoor play gives children the opportunity to run, jump, climb, swim, dance, and more, all of which provide aerobic exercise and strength training.

Develop stronger immune systems

Outdoor physical activity also strengthens the immune system and improves vitamin D levels, which can provide protection from osteoporosis and health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. It is recommended that children get moderate to vigorous activity that adds up to at least an hour per day.

Improves vision

A study reported by Optometry and Vision Science found that children who spend time outside have better distance vision than those who primarily play indoors.

Help kids learn to interact with and understand the natural world

Taking it outside gives children contact with the natural world and offers them experiences that are unique to outdoors, such as direct contact with the weather. Playing and learning outside also helps children to understand and respect nature, the environment and the interdependence of human, animals, plants and lifecycle.

Have a more active imaginations and play more creatively

Unstructured outdoor play promotes creativity, which children can apply to their academic learning, helping them see the material in another way.

Offers a chance for more social interaction with peers

When children play with other children outdoors, it encourages their social development. Play gives children opportunities to learn how to work in groups, including learning how to share, how to negotiate and how to resolve conflicts.

Increases attention span

Outdoor play has been shown to help children focus better in a classroom setting, increase attention span and to enhance readiness for learning, easing the transition to school.

TAKE IT OUTSIDE, PLAY OUTDOOR TODAY

So what are you waiting for? Let’s take it outside!

We take the kids out everyday! Sonia goes running in the evening at least twice a week (more, if the weather is good), and we head down to the outdoor playground whenever we can. Sometimes we grab the skate scooters and go out for a ride about the pool (don’t worry, I make them keep a safe distant from the water). And other times, we just head out for a walk.

This evening, we decide to take it outside at the PLAYGROUND!

So my children climb…

And spin…

And climb…

And slide…

And jump…

And run…

We had an awesome day and I really love their cute rosy cheeks after a good hour of outdoor play!

Take it outside, MORE!

Email this page

December 11, 2015
No Comments

Baking,Health & Wellness,Printables,Recipe

Homemade Peanut Butter

I’m not sure if you know how incredibly, ridiculously easy it is to make your own Peanut Butter from scratch.

I never thought it was possible for me to do something like this until yesterday and I just have to share it with you.

Homemade Peanut Butter beats those commercial Peanut Butter as you need not worry about the presence of preservative or hydrogenated oil. It’s nice to know what you are eating and have control over them. The downside is a shorter shelf span (though this is not something I need to worry about because they will all be gone before it becomes a problem). However, don’t expect to get a repro of “Skippy” for example. But if you are one who loves healthy and nutritional homemade product, then try this!

And if you must know what’s in those commercial Peanut Butter, this is a good read.

Click on image for a printable A4 sized recipe

STEP ONE

Rinse the raw peanuts under running water. Pat dry with kitchen towel and leave it to air dry. I used “Sun Kee” raw peanuts and you can easily get them from NTUC.

STEP TWO

I baked the peanuts for 30 minutes and it was a tad bit over roasted. Check your peanuts often to make sure they don’t get over done, else you might end up with a jar of charred peanut butter. Ok, I exaggerated. Not charred, but a little bit of, just a little bit of bitter burnt taste. It was a spoiler but the overall texture was awesome! It didn’t stop my family from eating them. Will try this again and make sure my peanuts don’t get over roasted.

STEP 3

Remember, do not overcook your peanuts like I did.

STEP 4

Give it a taste check.

STEP 5

Remove the peanuts skin only after they are cooled. You don’t want to burnt your fingers, do you?

STEP 6

Place 2 cups of peanuts into the blender and grind until texture turns sticky.

STEP 7

If you reserved some nuts for chunky peanut butter, add them in now and pulse a few times to incorporate.

STEP 8

Transfer the oh-so-healthy-and-yummy peanut butter to a jar and store in the fridge.

BENEFITS OF PEANUT BUTTER

Adapted from Health Ambition

I don’t know why I feel the need to convince you that peanut butter is healthy and actually beneficial to our health, especially homemade peanut butter like the one above, I just had to do so.

It is absolutely a myth that peanut butter is unhealthy and makes you fat, because on the contrary, it actually aids in weight loss!

No. 1 – It Helps You Lose Weight

It may sound crazy but it’s not. Despite all it’s fat content, researches from all over the world had already established that peanut butter is actually good for you. Its protein and fiber content makes you feel fuller for longer. This means, you are less likely to crave junk food and it also means that you eat less overall, and thus make losing weight easier.

No. 2 – Source of Protein

Two tablespoons of peanut butter are what you should consume if you want to stay on the healthy end of the peanut butter consumption scale. These 2 tablespoons pack in 7 g of protein. This is why peanut butter on toast makes for a great breakfast or mid morning meal choice. As a protein-rich food, when you eat peanut butter, you feel full longer. Additionally, the protein is also good for building and repairing muscles, which is especially important if you work out a lot.

No. 3 – Heart Friendly

Asked the Harvard Medical School if the health benefits of peanut butter extended to heart health, their answer is a resounding “YES”. Peanut butter has its share of saturated food, but like olive oil, it also has a high percentage of unsaturated helping it qualify itself for the healthy camp. When consumed in moderate amounts, eating a healthy peanut butter like this can actually improve your heart health, especially when compared to those who seldom or never eat nuts.

No. 4 – More Potassium

Peanut butter acts as an excellent source of potassium, and potassium can go a long way towards countering the dangers of sodium.

No. 5 – Healthy Fat

A common worry about eating peanut butter is the fat content. However, as mentioned above, peanut butter contains more unsaturated fat than saturated fat. This means, it is actually a great source of “healthy fats”. A healthy body needs a good supply of healthy fats and like olive oil and avocado, peanut butter is a friendly fat food.

No. 6 – Energy Booster

As already discussed, peanut butter contains good amounts of healthy fats and protein. This means it contains plenty of calories that will give you lots of energy for your activities. Again, perfect for a morning meal as it gives you an energy hit for the day.

No. 7 – Fiber Rich

Two tablespoon serving of peanut butter not only packs in lots of protein but also gives you 2 grams of fiber. Adequate consumption of fiber is important for the healthy functioning of your body and of course you can get more fiber from other meals but peanut butter can help supplement this.

No. 8 – Packed with Nutrients

Protein, fiber, healthy fats, potassium and now antioxidants, magnesium and others too. The list of good things about peanut butter just go on. One serving of peanut butter will give you at least 3 mg of the antioxidant Vitamin #. Additionally, you will also get magnesium (about 49 g) which is excellent for bone building and muscle recovery and a small but still important amount (0.17 mg) of vitamin B6 that help bookst your immunity. You can also find a small amount of zinc in peanut butter and this too can act as a good immunity booster.

In the nutshell, it is healthy for you, your little one, and the entire family!

Email this page

June 22, 2015
No Comments

Health & Wellness

The Flu Bug

Recently, Arnold caught a flu. I’m not sure where he got it from (maybe when we were out at the mall or at the playground), but he was having running nose, followed by a cough and a great loss of appetite. Needless to say, he had been extremely touchy and grouchy, yet he remained hyper active and smiley, all at the same time. Unbelievable! To cut a long story short, it was either his way or no way (and that’s bad).

Doctor had given him medication but he doesn’t seem to be getting any better. We had since separated Sonia and Arnold but sometimes I just couldn’t bear to split the siblings. They wanted to hug each other and I pulled them away? How cruel, but necessary.

It’s not just Arnold. Even the neighbour’s kids are falling sick. And the children at Sonia’s school. The flu bug is activated and we need to stop them with all our might! Really, prevention is better than cure. Try to prevent influenza from spreading and keep your child far far away from those viruses. I don’t want you to suffer the same plight. So I’m keeping my boy far away from your kids (I’m not being unfriendly lah, just trying to be responsible). When your kid is sick, you loss your sleep. Unfortunately, that’s how things work. My MIL had been losing her sleep because of Arnold. That’s why I’m feeling so sorry and grateful. She had scarified so much. Honey, please get well soon!

So I thought it might be useful to share about Influenza.

What children’s flu is
How does influenza spread
Flu symptoms in infant & toddler
What to do if your child caught the flu bug
Reduce the spread of flu to others in the house
Prevention is better than cure
When should I call the doctor
Can I continue breastfeeding when I have a flu

WHAT CHILDREN’S FLU IS

Children’s flu (short for “influenza”) is just like the adult variety – a contagious and common viral infection of the throat nose and lungs.

HOW DOES INFLUENZA SPREAD

Children can catch influenza from siblings, parents, other family members, playmates or, really, anyone their have contact with. Germs are usually spread in one of three ways:

Direct contact – such as kissing, touching or holding hand with an infected person. If you have a virus, you will have germs in your nose, mouth, eyes or on your skin. By touching other people, you can pass on the virus.
Indirect contact means touching something – a toy, doorknob or a used tissue – that has been touched by an infected person and now has germs on it. Some germs, like the ones that cause colds and diarrhoea, can stay on surfaces for many hours.
Some germs spread through the air when a person cough or sneezes. Droplets from the cough or sneeze may reach another person’s nose or mouth.

FLU SYMPTOMS IN INFANT & TODDLER

Influenza usually begins with a sudden offset of fever and at least two or three of the following symptoms:

aches and pains
headache
cough or noisy breathing
sore throat and runny nose
low energy
nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhoea

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD CAUGHT THE FLU BUG

Adapted from here.

Most children recover within seven days without any treatment. Ensure that your child has plenty of bed rest, encourage them to drink lots of fluids and use paracetamol for pain or discomfort. Do NOT give aspirin to your child if they have influenza as this can lead to serious side effects. Anyway, always check with your doctor before administration of medication.

Antiviral drugs used to treat flu work best when started within the first 48 hours of getting sick. The doctor may start your child on antiviral drugs even after 48 hours from when flu signs started, especially if your child is in the hospital or has a higher chance of severe illness from the flu.

A fever is a temperature greater than or equal to 37.8 degree Celsius.If your child feels warmer than normal, has a flushed appearance, is sweating, or is shivering, your child may have a fever.

If you child has a fever, there are medicines that can be used to reduce the fever. Some are sold over-the-counter. Make sure you talk to your doctor and see what medicine your doctor recommends based on your child’s age.

REDUCE THE SPREAD OF FLU TO OTHERS IN THE HOUSE

You all know that this is a challenge. Probably more difficult to do than teaching a 3-year-old to spell her name but try your best. Sonia and Arnold are almost inseparable.

They love being around each other and are always showering one another lots of hugs and kisses. Separating them is almost cruel but I had to be the bad guy.

Here are ways to reduce the spread of flu to others in the house:

Keep your sick child in a separate room in the house as much as possible to limit contact with healthy household members.
Do not allow your child to share food or drinks with others.
Try to have one person as the main caregiver for the sick child.
Keep the bathroom your sick child is using extremely clean at all times. Consider disinfecting it daily to make it safe for others to use.
Keep the house, especially the sick room, well-ventilated at all times.

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

Ways to prevent your infant or toddler from getting the flu:

Wash your hands often with soap and water. Get your child to do the same! My kids do that a lot and uses their body soap to wash their hands (they use Mustela Dermo-Cleansing). Avoid harsh hand soap. Children’s skin is very sensitive.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Practice good health habits. Get plenty of sleep and exercise, drink plenty of fluid and eat healthy food.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Do not leave them lying around.

WHEN SHOULD I CALL THE DOCTOR

Take your child to the doctor or the emergency room if:

Your child does not act alert or more comfortable when the fever goes down.
Your child has a high fever, or recurring fever.
The child does not have tears when crying.
The child’s diapers are not wet, or the child has not urinated for the last 8 hours.
Your child has pain in his ear.
Your child is breathing fast or having trouble breathing
You child has a bluish skin colour

CAN I CONTINUE BREASTFEEDING WHEN I HAVE A FLU

Breastfeeding picture source from here.

This question had been asked too many times and many are led to believe that they might pass the flu to their child via their breast milk. No, that’s not true. Don’t let anyone tell you that. I have checked this with my family doctor Dr. Lawrence Wong, and genealogist, Dr. Adelina Wong. Both said that I should continue nursing my baby while being treated for the flu. Breast milk passes antibodies from you to your baby. Antibodies help fight off infection.

If you are too sick to breastfeed, pump and have someone give your milk to your baby.
Be careful not to cough or sneeze in the baby’s face. Wear a mask. Wash your hands often with soap and water.

Take care and be safe.

Email this page

June 19, 2015
No Comments

Health & Wellness,Parenthood

Tips & Tricks To Potty Train Your Child

Make sure both you and your child are ready. Before potty training your child, you must be prepared to set aside the time in which you will devote all your attention and focus on your child. Don’t be in a hurry. You have not failed Parenting 101 if your baby is last in class to be dry.

Most children are ready to begin potty training between the age 2 and 3. I was ambitious and started Sonia when she was 18-month-old. Just as I was near to success, I sent her to school and all my past effort went down the drain. WHY? Because there were too much going on around her – (1) she was trying to adapt to a new school environment; and (2) I was pregnant with her little brother. She probably felt too overwhelmed to tackle these new challenges.

I started potty training her again when she was about two-year-old. This time round, I felt she was more ready. Here are some things to look out for:

Your child will tell you when her diaper is soiled
Your child will tell you right before she is about to pee or when she is in action
Your child diaper stays dry for about two hours at a time during the day
Bowel movements come at regular times
You may notice your child making a face before peeing or pooping
Your child is more independent and wants to do things for themselves or have it done their way

READ FUN PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT TOILET TRAINING

A month before potty training Sonia, I read a potty training book by Serena Geddes to her. She was able to “flush” by pressing the button on the book. That got her excited about flushing the real toilet bowl, and subsequently, the idea of using the toilet bowl.

SING PRAISES
I encourage Sonia by making a HUGE deal each time she tells me that she needs to pee or poo. Even if she tells me after she had wet her pants, I will praise her and thank her for letting me know and encourage her to let me know before it happens.

START A ROUTINE
If I were to ask Sonia “do you need to pee”, her answer will usually be “no”. So just sit your child on the toilet bowl until she pees, or for a reasonable amount of time, say 3 minutes. If your child did pee, take her to the toilet again in an hour time, if not, bring her to the toilet again in 30 minutes.

DRINK LOTS OF FLUIDS
What comes in, goes out. If your child is not drinking enough fluid, why will you expect output without input? Anyway, getting hydrated is good for your child. So drink lots of fluid.

COMFORTABLE CLOTHES
By ‘comfortable clothes’, I meant clothes that are easy to get on and off. I wouldn’t dress my girl in a jumper. Get the picture? During our toilet training days, she is usually in a dress and pulls up a knicker. You can get her to pick some knickers to buy and make a BIG deal of her becoming a big girl. It worked for Sonia. The key is to make her feel good about being a BIG girl.

USE A TOILET TRAINING SEAT
Allow your child to feel in-charge. By siting on a toilet training seat, she didn’t need me holding her on the toilet bowl and that made her felt like a ‘big girl’.

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN, IT’S FINE
Don’t get upset over accidents. Just clean up and move on. But don’t ignore the ‘accident’. Use this opportunity to explain to your child, why she should pee in the toilet bowl and not on the floor. Big girls go to the toilet, not wet their pants.

REWARDS
My rewards are no more than praises and affirmation. My acknowledgement was enough for Sonia, but remember, not all kids are the same. Some might need a packet of chocolate or some kind of incentive. I’m almost certain when Arnold is ready for potty training, he will ask for food.

WEAR DIAPERS AT NIGHT UNTIL YOUR CHILD IS READY
During the first three months of potty training, I omit diapers in the day but continue to wear diaper to bed. During that period, I continue to potty train her but I don’t want to be washing mattresses every other night. If she soiled her diapers at night, I would talk to her in the morning and show her the soiled diapers. Then tell her it would be nice if she could get up and tell mama she wants to go to the toilet. I know the textbooks will tell you not to play the guilt game but I’m guilty of this. I made her felt bad about soiling her diapers and that mama would be upset (but it worked for me, because she really didn’t want mama to be upset). On days that she woke me up to go to the toilet at night, I sang praises, and again, made it a BIG BIG deal. After about three months, she was ready to go diaper-less! Hurray! BUT there were still the occasional accidents. We all learn from mistakes. Today, I’m please to share that we have ditched the diapers entirely (since she was 2.5 years old)!!!

FOOD & DRINKS TO AVOID
Avoid food and drinks that act as stimulants such as chocolate, sugar and caffeine, particularly in the hours before bedtime.

MAKE YOUR CHILD FEEL PROUD
I will praise Sonia in front of our family and make her feel really proud of herself! When she feels that she is doing something right, she wants to do it right all the time.

Of course I faced setbacks. I would be lying if I said I didn’t. Potty training Sonia had cause me much stress, fatigue, pressure, and happiness. I felt stressed when things aren’t working, fatigue after waking up multiple times in the night to either take her to the toilet or wash her soiled mattress and clothes, pressured when she doesn’t perform the way I wished she did, and happy when she finally slept through the night without wetting her pants.

FIRST THREE MONTHS
I would diligently ask if she needed the toilet every hour. Even when we were out in the day, I did not want to rely on diapers. Often, she would tell me that she needed the toilet at the last hour, and I had to whisk her off, finding the nearest toilet available. Sometimes we made it to the toilet on time, and other times, we were too late. I always had to bring a fresh set of clothes for her (for times like this). Trips to the malls weren’t as fun anymore. I’m always on stand-by, waiting to send her to the toilet. It was challenging, but worth it.

THE NEXT THREE MONTHS
I think she got used to the routine and could better control her bladder. I stop having to dash across the malls finding the nearest toilet. In fact, I had no problems with her in the day. She would tell me when she needed to go to the toilet and give me enough time to walk her there. But night time was still a challenge. It took a lot of discipline, reminders, motivations and encouragements, but again, all was worth the effort.

THEREAFTER
I felt like I’ve struck lottery, only even better. She had ditched the diapers altogether! There were about 5 or 6 busy nights but other than that, we had dry quiet nights! The number of disturbed nights decreases as the months go by, thankfully. And today, I would say, perhaps 2 busy nights a month. Don’t be discourage. Be positive. It will get better. Accident is part of learning too!

Over the past 3 years, I’ve bought 4 different types of toilet training seats, and my favourite is my latest snatch – the BUMBO!

Love Lucky Baby Ritzy Potty bought from Kiddy Palace
This was my first buy and is the one that I regretted buying the minute I started using it. First, it wasn’t comfortable to sit on. The ergonomic is just wrong. Second, there were just too many pieces to a potty – a cover lid, a removable insert, and the chair frame. Too much hassle, too many things to wash and too bulky to keep.
2-in-1 Potette Plus bought from Mothercare
It can be used on our toilet seat or by itself as a folding potty seat (you will need to place a disposable liner over it). Potette Plus has a non-slip base for safety but wasn’t very steady and comfortable to sit on. My kids’ bum went pinky-red after siting for mere minutes. It was however easy to clean and very portable but when I try using it by its own, it wasn’t feasible. The potty seat when used by itself is too low and if my child were to pee or poo, she would probably be sitting on her own pee or poo.
Tossig bought from IKEA
This one-piece toilet training seat has an anti-slip material on the underside to keep it firmly in place. Easy to clean and keep but like the previous toilet training seats, it was hard and uncomfortable to sit on. Sonia would prefer that I hold her on the toilet bowl seat then to sit on the toilet training seat.
Bumbo bought from Takashimaya
Why it’s a winner?
It is a one-piece toilet training seat. My favourite so far, only because both my kids like it! The Bumbo seat easily fit on our toilet seat with nothing to attach or remove. Soft and spongy, and easy to clean. And above all, the contoured seat provides support and security for my kids. They love it!

So, which is your favourite? Mine is the Bumbo toilet training seat!!!

I hope the above information are useful to you. Have fun toilet training your toddler! Remember, start toilet training your child only when you are able to devote your time to it. There need to be consistency. Good luck!

Email this page

June 15, 2015
1 Comment

Health & Wellness,Parenthood,Printables

Clean Your Child’s Teeth

Toddlers will not brush their teeth if you don’t tell them to.

Toddlers will not know why they need to brush their teeth if you don’t educate them.

If you haven’t started brushing and flossing your child’s teeth, start today because you can keep your child from getting tooth decay by starting their dental care early, as early as possible.

Most of us don’t enjoy visiting the dentist every half yearly, yet we ask our child to open their mouth for us twice a day. No wonder they protest. Let’s brush our teeth, the fun way!

WHERE DO I BEGIN?

ROUTINE

I was wiping Sonia’s gum and tongue with a washcloth until her first teeth sprouted at nine-month-old. We have established a routine since birth, so it wasn’t too tough getting her used to the idea of brushing teeth. And when her first tooth sprouted, I introduced her to (1) a toothbrush and (2) a fluoride-free blackcurrant toothpaste. Not forgetting (3) dental floss picks. Only recently, I introduced her to a (4) fluoride toothpaste.

She brushes her teeth first thing in the morning and in the evening after drinking her milk. Do NOT put your child down to sleep with a bottle of milk because sugary liquid cling to the teeth, feeding bacteria that can cause tooth decay. If you must give your child a bottle to take to bed, make sure it contains only water.

SING A SONG

“This is the way I brush my teeth,
I brush my teeth,
I brush my teeth.
This is the way I brush my teeth,
So early in the morning.”

Singing is useful because it makes the whole brushing experience more FUN! And most importantly, you can assure your child that brushing time is limited, because they know that brushing time is over when the song ends. The key is to keep brushing SHORT! You can lengthen the brushing time as your child gets older.

GIVE THEM DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY

Let them have a say! Allow them to choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste. I realise that when I allow Sonia to make her own decisions, she is more willing to engage with me and brush her teeth.

WALK YOUR TALK

Set the right dental care example. If your kids see you brushing and flossing regularly, they are more likely to pick up the good habits. Tell them the benefits of maintaining good oral hygiene in their language. For example, Sonia and I happened to watch a MTV performed by some kids some months ago. One of the girls had a black tooth and I took the opportunity to ‘preach’ on good oral hygiene. I gave her my pocket mirror and asked her to look at her nice set of pearly white teeth. “THIS” (pearly white teeth) is the result of brushing teeth religiously. But if she doesn’t brush and floss her teeth thoroughly every morning and night, then “THAT” (referring to the black tooth) is the consequence. Being such a vain girl (fortunately or unfortunately), it irks her to think that she might look ugly.

USE A GOAL CHART

I did this with Sonia when she was younger but now, she’s good brushing her teeth without any reward. Her motivation comes from wanting to look good. Click below image for printable GOAL CHART.

Have fun brushing teeth with your little ones!

Brought to you by WESA Health Talk!

Email this page

June 11, 2015
No Comments

Health & Wellness

Order tea like a Singaporean

“Are you local?”
“Are you Singaporean?”
“Where are you from?”

I get these a lot! I’m not sure if it’s the way I speak or just the way I look, but people don’t think I am a Singaporean. Some say I look like Indo-Chinese, some say I look like a Eurasian, some say I look like I’m from China, just no one say I’m local. But I sure can order tea like a true blue Singaporean.

I came out with a chart (with reference from a poster I’ve seen on a wall at x Kopitiam).

Now it’s so much easier to understand, right?

While there are so many variation of tea in Singapore, I always go for TEH O, if not TEH O SIEW DAI. And hubby goes for TEH, and occasionally, TEH C.

What’s your favourite?

I’m not sure how healthy these drinks are, but without the sugar and condensed milk (yes, I’m talking about TEH O KOSONG), they are beneficial to us.

TOP 10 HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRINKING TEA

Tea contains antioxidants
It protects our body from the ravages of ageing and the effects of pollution.
Tea has less caffeine than coffee
Coffee usually has two to three times the caffeine of tea.
Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke
Unwanted blood cots formed from cholesterol and blood platelets cause heart attack and stroke. Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, the same way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear.
Tea protects your bones
One study that compared tea drinkers with non-drinkers, found that people who drank tea for 10 or more years had the strongest bones, even after adjusting for age, body weight, exercise, smoking and other risk factors. The authors suggest that this may be the work of tea’s many beneficial phytochemical.
Tea gives you s sweet smile
Tea contains fluoride and tannins that may keep plaque at bay. So add unsweetened tea drinking to your daily dental routine of brushing and flossing for healthier teeth and gums.
Tea bolsters your immune defences
Drinking tea may help your body’s immune system fight off infection.
Tea protects against cancer
Thank the polyphenols, the antioxidants found in tea, once again for their cancer-fighting effects. While the overall research is inconclusive, there are enough studies that show the potential protective effects of drinking tea to make adding tea to your list of daily beverages.
Tea helps keep you hydrated
Caffeinated beverages, including tea, used to be on the list of beverages that didn’t contribute to our daily fluid needs. Since caffeine is a diuretic and makes us pee more, the thought was that caffeinated beverages couldn’t contribute to our overall fluid requirement. However, recent research had shown that the caffein really doesn’t matter – tea and other caffeinated beverages definitely contribute to our fluid needs. The only time the caffeine becomes a problem as far as fluid is concerned is when you drink more than five or six cups of a caffeinated beverage at one time.
Tea is calorie-free
Tea doesn’t have any calories, unless you add sweetener or milk.
Tea increases your metabolism
Tea, especially green tea, has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day. Over a year’s time you could lose eight pounds just by drinking green tea.

What are you waiting for? Grab yourself a cup of hot tea now!

Email this page

June 07, 2015
No Comments

Arnold,Family,Health & Wellness,Play,Sonia

Splashing, wading, paddling and swimming with the kids

Splashing, wading, paddling and swimming with the kids on a cloudy evening with yeye was nothing but FUN!

It was the time of the month and it wasn’t convenient for me to dive down into the pool with Sonia for swimming lessons, so my FIL volunteered to take her down. See, I told you, I had the BEST FIL, ever.

Sonia had a splashing good time today!

She literally glued herself to yeye, so yeye had to “abandon” her while Teacher Wang coached her, and picked her back when it was Heidi’s turn.

Arnold was all dressed, ready to dive right into the pool. But before that, his mama (me) made him pose for some picture! Gee…

“I’m strong!”

I thought Arnold would beam when he got into the water, but no. The water was too cold for his liking -_-

It took a while before he felt a little more comfortable with the temperature of the water. Anyhow, distractions always work! Just throw him a toy or two and tah dah~

Arnold trying to catch the dippy duck.

Finally, a smile.

That’s Sonia with her coach! She’s now more willing to swim through the loop. Some two months back, she would cry and protest. I’m glad tough times are over (I hope).

There you go…

Trying to float on her back.

After lesson, the girls went to the kids’ pool for some fun! We had a slide there but Sonia wasn’t game for it. She preferred waddling about the pool.

That’s her, all relaxed, picking dead flowers floating on the water.

We all had a lovely evening and Sonia went home boasting to her daddy that sooooooooo many people went down to see her swim. She likes being around her family and likes being the centre of attention. Watching my gems grow up is the best gift ever.

Email this page

May 25, 2015
No Comments

Family,Health & Wellness,Play

A game of badminton

The best way to sweat it out is to play badminton – nonstop for at least an hour.

This week, we have gugu in the court!

Papa is a good player. Playing with beginners like mummy, gugu, or myself is like asking a chef to wash vegetables (a waste of time and talent). So I always leave the last 30 minutes for him to play with hubby (my hub is one good player too). This way, no one gets neglected and everyone gets their fair share of FUN!

You probably can’t see from this picture but his t-shirt is soaking wet. And yes, he can squeeze a cup full of perspiration from his shirt. Trial and tried.

And to end this post, a very unglamorous picture of us after two hours of badminton game. I look tired? You bet. Sonia woke up four times last night crying for mummy. How to look refresh and radiant? I’m deprived of sleep. Arg…